Locking storage box with quick-access features

ABSTRACT

A storage box having a locking assembly with quick-access features and an optional passthrough charging port is shown and described.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 17/574,765, filed Jan. 13, 2022, which is incorporated hereinby reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates to the field of locking storageenclosures, and more particularly to a locking storage box havingquick-access features.

BACKGROUND

Firearm-mountable lights and other accessories that are mountable to afirearm but that require occasional recharging are well known in theart. Examples include the TLR series of firearm-mountable lightsmanufactured and sold by Streamlight, Inc. of Eagleville, Pa., U.S.A.,which is the applicant of the present application. Removal of theseitems from a firearm for recharging purposes is labor-intensive andtime-consuming. At the same time, many firearm owners will desire tosafely store their firearms while they are not in use. Typical safes,moreover, are slow to access, and may not be suitable for instances inwhich quick access to a firearm is desirable. Further, typical safeslack internal charging features.

Therefore, there is a need for a locking storage box with passthroughcharging features that allows for secure storage of items requiringcharging therein, while also allowing for quick access to the interiorof the box.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The devices according to the present disclosure are further describedwith reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a first embodiment of a storage boxaccording to the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is another top perspective view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view thereof;

FIG. 4 is a partial exploded view thereof, showing the lid, handle, andstorage compartment construction;

FIG. 5 is another partial exploded view of the storage box of FIG. 1 ,showing the top lid in an open configuration and the locking assembly ofthe storage box removed from its mounting space within the bottom lidthereof;

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the locking assembly;

FIG. 7 is a partially-exploded view of portions of the locking assembly;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are perspective views of the locking assembly inconnection with a locking plate that acts to selectably secure andrelease the top lid in connection with the bottom lid;

FIG. 10 is an interior side view of the locking assembly, showing thelocking pins and pin plate thereof; and

FIG. 11 is a top perspective view of a second embodiment of a storagebox according to the present disclosure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIVE CONCEPTS

In one respect, the inventive concept is an enclosure, the enclosurecomprising: a main body; a lid; and a locking assembly that isreleasably engageable between the main body and the lid, the lockingassembly having a locked configuration in which the lid and the mainbody are secured together and an unlocked configuration in which the lidis separable from the main body, the main body and the lid forming astorage compartment therebetween when the main body and the lid aremated together, the locking assembly comprising a plurality of buttons,each of the plurality of buttons being individually depressible, each ofthe plurality of buttons being individually includable or excludablefrom an unlock combination of the locking assembly, wherein when all ofthe buttons of the plurality of buttons which are included in the unlockcombination are simultaneously depressed without any of the buttons ofthe plurality of buttons which are excluded from the unlock combinationbeing simultaneously depressed, the locking assembly is placed into itsunlocked configuration.

In another respect, the inventive concept is an enclosure, the enclosurecomprising: a main body; a lid; and a locking assembly that isreleasably engageable between the main body and the lid, the lockingassembly comprising a plurality of buttons, each of the plurality ofbuttons having a first pin hole and a second pin hole, each of theplurality of buttons being individually depressible, a plurality oflocking pins, each of the plurality of locking pins being selectablyinstallable in either of the first pin hole or the second pin hole of arespective one of the buttons of the plurality of buttons, whereininstallation of a respective one of the locking pins into the respectivefirst pin hole of a respective one of the buttons includes said buttonin an unlock combination of the locking assembly and whereininstallation of said respective one of the locking pins into therespective second pin hole of said respective one of the buttonsexcludes said button from the unlock combination, a pin plate comprisinga plurality of upper pin slots and a plurality of lower pin slots, eachof the upper pin slots corresponding with a location of a respectivefirst pin hole of a button of the plurality of buttons and each of thelower pin slots corresponding with a location of a respective second pinhole of a button of the plurality of buttons, wherein when all of thebuttons of the plurality of buttons which are included in the unlockcombination are simultaneously depressed without any of the buttons ofthe plurality of buttons which are excluded from the unlock combinationbeing simultaneously depressed, the plurality of locking pins press onthe pin plate and cause it to be temporarily relocated such that the lidis separable from the main body.

In yet another respect, the inventive concept is an enclosurecomprising: a main body; a lid; a locking assembly that is releasablyengageable between the main body and the lid, the locking assemblyhaving a locked configuration in which the lid and the main body aresecured together and an unlocked configuration in which the lid isseparable from the main body, the main body and the lid forming astorage compartment therebetween when the main body and the lid aremated together; and an electrical passthrough that extends from anexterior of the enclosure into the storage compartment, the electricalpassthrough comprising a charging and/or data port.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The ensuing detailed description provides exemplary embodiment(s) only,and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configurationof the herein disclosed embodiment(s). Rather, the ensuing detaileddescription of the exemplary embodiment(s) will provide those skilled inthe art with an enabling description for implementing the exemplaryembodiments in accordance with the present disclosure. It should beunderstood that various changes may be made in the function andarrangement of elements without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention, as set forth in the appended claims.

To aid in describing the disclosure and/or invention as claimed,directional terms may be used in the specification and claims todescribe portions of the present disclosure and/or invention (e.g.,upper, lower, left, right, etc.). These directional definitions aremerely intended to assist in describing the embodiment(s) and claimingthe invention, and are not intended to limit the disclosure or claimedinvention in any way. In addition, reference numerals that areintroduced in the specification in association with a drawing figure maybe repeated in one or more subsequent figures without additionaldescription in the specification, in order to provide context for otherfeatures.

It should be understood that when an element is referred to as being“connected” or “coupled” to another element, it can be directlyconnected or coupled to the other element or that intervening elementsmay be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being“directly connected” or “directly coupled” to another element, it shouldbe understood that no intervening elements are present. Other words usedto describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in alike fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent”versus “directly adjacent,” etc.).

In embodiment(s) described herein or shown in the drawings, any directelectrical connection or coupling, i.e., any connection or couplingwithout additional intervening elements, may also be implemented by anindirect connection or coupling, i.e., a connection or coupling with oneor more additional intervening elements, or vice versa, as long as thegeneral purpose of the connection or coupling, for example, to transmita certain kind of signal or to transmit a certain kind of information,is essentially maintained. Features from different embodiment(s) may becombined to form further embodiment(s). For example, variations ormodifications described with respect to one of the embodiment(s) mayalso be applicable to other embodiment(s), unless noted to the contrary.

Firearm-mountable lights and other accessories that are mountable to afirearm but that require occasional recharging are well known in theart. Removal of these items from a firearm for recharging purposes islabor-intensive and time-consuming. At the same time, many firearmowners will desire to safely store their firearms while they are not inuse. However, typical safes lack internal charging features. Typicalsafes and secure enclosures, moreover, are slow to access, and may notbe suitable for instances in which quick access to a firearm isdesirable. Trigger locks are likewise slow to remove, and are thereforeunsuitable for such situations.

The inventors of the present application have therefore conceived of anddeveloped a locking storage box (i.e., enclosure) that allows for quickaccess to the interior of the storage box. The quick access features ofthe storage box are achieved through an adjustable locking assemblycomprising multiple depressible buttons that may be either included orexcluded from the unlock combination via internal reconfiguration ofthreaded fasteners. In some embodiments, moreover, the storage boxincludes passthrough charging features that allow for secure storage ofitems requiring charging therein. The quick-access features of thestorage box make it a suitable storage container for every day-useitems, such as jewelry, cash, wallets, and other valuables. In thepresent embodiments, the locking storage box is sized to fit a typicalpistol, in its holster and with an attached light. It should beunderstood that the locking storage box according to the presentdisclosure could be provided in any suitable size, for example to storelonger, taller, and/or wider items, for example rifles and shotguns.

In the present embodiments, the action on the buttons will feel the sameto a user whether the button is included in or excluded from the unlockcombination, which prevents discovery of the unlock combination throughlock tampering. Further, in these embodiments the locking assembly willautomatically default to its locked configuration when the buttons areundepressed. These features will be further described below in detail.

Referring now generally to FIGS. 1-10 , one embodiment of a storage box10 according to the present disclosure will be described in detail.FIGS. 1-3 show various perspective views of the exterior of the storagebox 10 according to the present disclosure. In this embodiment, thestorage box 10 comprises a top lid 14, a bottom lid 50 which serves as amain body of the storage box 10, a handle 80 for carrying the storagebox 10, and a locking assembly 100.

In this embodiment, the top lid 14 comprises a name plate 22 on whichthe user can write or imprint their name or other identifyinginformation. As shown in FIG. 4 , the name plate 22 sits within a space18 located in the top lid 14 and conceals holes 20 a-20 c into whichnuts 32 a-32 c are placed. In this embodiment the holes 20 a-20 c eachhave a hexagonal cross-sectional and are sized just larger than each ofa respective one of the nuts 32 a-32 c—which in this embodiment are alsohexagonal in shape—so that each of the nuts 32 a-32 c is secured in afixed rotational position in a respective one of the holes 20 a-20 c. Asshown in FIGS. 4, 8, and 9 , a locking plate 26 is fixedly secured tothe underside of the top lid 14. As will be described below in detail,the locking plate 26 interacts with the locking assembly 100 to allowfor the top lid 14 and bottom lid 50 to be alternatively fixed togetherand released so that the interior of the storage box 10 may be accessed.

The locking plate 26 is secured to the underside of the top lid 14 viapassage of each of a respective one of fasteners 30 a-30 c through arespective one of washers 31 a-31 c, a respective one of holes 28 a-28 clocated in the locking plate 26, and into a respective one of the nuts32 a-32 c. Since each of the nuts 32 a-32 c is secured in a fixedrotational position in a respective one of the holes 20 a-20 c, thefasteners 30 a-30 c may be tightened into a respective one of the nuts32 a-32 c from an underside of the top lid 14 without need to supportthe nuts 32 a-32 c during the tightening process. As will be furtherdescribed below, each of the holes 28 a-28 c in the locking plate 26 hasan elongated, oval shape to allow for lateral shifting of the lockingplate 26.

In this embodiment, the top lid 14 has an access hole 24 and the bottomlid 50 has an access hole 66, each of which is positioned for insertionof a lock override key into the interior of the storage box 10, fortimes when manual override of the locking assembly 100 is necessary. Afirst lock override key 8 a may be routed through the access hole 24 inthe top lid 14 and threadedly attached to a threaded portion 38 locatedon the locking plate 26, and a second lock override key 8 b may berouted through the access hole 66 in the bottom lid 50 and threadedlyattached to a threaded portion 146 located on a pin plate 140 of thelocking assembly 100. When pulled in opposing outward directions, thelock override keys 8 a,8 b manually shift the locking plate 26 and pinplate 140 so that respective locking tabs thereon—as will be furtherdescribed below in detail—disengage from each other and allow the toplid 14 to be removed from the bottom lid 50, thus granting access to astorage compartment 56 formed by the lids 14,50 inside the storage box10 when the lids 14,50 are mated together in a closed configuration. Thelocking plate 26 further comprises a slot 40 containing a spring 42therein, the spring 42 acting to bias the locking plate 26 in adirection to the left (i.e., in a direction 2) as shown in FIG. 9 .

In this embodiment, the top lid 14, bottom lid 50, and handle 80 arerotatably attached together about a rotation axis 86 in a hingedfashion, which allows for the top lid 14 to be rotated away from thebottom lid 50 when the locking assembly 100 is disengaged, and for thehandle 80 to be freely rotatable about the rotation axis 86 independentof both of the lids 14,50. The handle 80 includes a carrying portion 82that may be used for carrying or relocating the storage box 10.

In this embodiment, the top lid 14 comprises a knuckle 16 having a pinhole 17, the bottom lid 50 has a pair of knuckles 52 a,52 b, each havinga pin hole (not labeled), and the handle 80 includes a pair of pin holes84 a,84 b. The handle 80 and lids 14,50 are attached together bypress-fitting a first pin 88 a through the pin hole 84 a in the handle80, the pin hole in the knuckle 52 a, and into the pin hole 17 in theknuckle 16, and by press-fitting a second pin 88 b through the pin hole84 b in the handle 80, the pin hole in the knuckle 52 b, and into thepin hole 17 in the knuckle 16. In alternative embodiments according tothe present disclosure, the lids 14,50 and the handle 80 may beconnected together by other means and/or the handle 80 may be omittedentirely.

In this embodiment, the storage box 10 further comprises a pair oflocking holes 12 a,12 b—which each include aligned holes on each of thetop lid 14 and bottom lid 50 (see holes labeled 76 a,76 b in FIG. 5)—through which a padlock or other secondary and/or tertiary lock can berouted, to prevent undesired access to the interior of the storage box10. These locking holes 12 a,12 b may be used to render the storage box10 TSA-compliant, for when the user desires to transport a firearm inthe storage box 10 on an airplane.

As noted above, the storage compartment 56 is formed by the top lid 14and bottom lid 50 being mated together. In some embodiments according tothe present disclosure, the storage compartment 56 of the storage box 10could be fitted with light(s)—for example, one or more LEDs—that eitherautomatically switch on when the top lid 14 is removed from the bottomlid 50 via a wired pressure switch, or that can be manually turned onand off via either an internal or external switch. In some embodiments,the light(s) in the storage compartment may be configured toautomatically turn off after a predetermined period of time (e.g., 30,60, or 120 seconds) after being turned on.

In this embodiment, the bottom lid 50 comprises a gasket slot 68 intowhich a gasket 70 is fit, to render the storage compartment 56liquidproof (e.g., waterproof) when the lids 14,50 are mated or lockedtogether. In this way, the storage compartment 56 may be configured tomeet one or more known waterproof test standards, for example IPX4,IPX5, IPX6, IPX7, and/or IPX8 standards, as established by theInternational Electrotechnical Commission. In the embodiments shown inthe figures, the bottom lid 50 further comprises a liquid-impermeablebut gas-permeable sealing vent 58 located on the bottom surface thereof.FIG. 3 shows three small holes (though only one hole 57 is labeled) thatare routed through the bottom lid 50 into the storage compartment 56. Inthis embodiment, the sealing vent 58 (see FIG. 4 ) is placed over theseholes (including hole 57) to maintain the sealed, waterproof environmentof the storage compartment 56 while allowing the storage compartment 56to equalize pressure with the external environment without causingdamage to the gasket 70 or any object stored within the storagecompartment 56. In this embodiment, the sealing vent 58 is comprised ofan expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) membrane that allowscontinuous pressure equalization within the storage compartment 56 whilethe gasket 70 is providing a waterproof seal therein while the top lid14 and bottom lid 50 are secured together. W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.of Newark, Delaware, United States produces vent seals that are suitablefor use as the sealing vent 58. In alternative embodiments, other knownor hereafter-discovered membranous materials may be used in place ofePTFE to form the sealing vent 58, including materials formed indifferent shapes. For example, in further alternative embodiments, thesealing vent 58 may be replaced with one or more rods formed of PTFE orother materials, which help achieve water-resistant pressureequalization within the storage compartment 56, thus minimizing orpreventing vacuum lock when the storage box 10 is transported betweendifferent environments or altitudes. POREX Corporation of Fairburn,Georgia, United States produces suitable rod-shaped PTFE vents that maybe used with various embodiments of the storage box 10, as would beappreciated by persons having ordinary skill in the relevant art.

As noted above, in this embodiment, one feature of the storage box 10 isthe ability to charge or transmit data to or from the interior of thestorage box 10 while the locking assembly 100 is engaged, to prevent theneed for removal of, e.g., firearm accessories such as lights or red dotsights from firearms while they are being charged while maintaining thefirearm in a secure container. In this embodiment, the bottom lid 50comprises a passthrough 62—essentially, an opening in a sidewall of thebottom lid 50—in which a charging port 64 is installed. The storage box10 thus includes the passthrough 62 extending between an exterior of thestorage box 10 into the storage compartment 56. As shown in the partialexploded view of FIG. 5 , a housing 90 is installed interior to thestorage compartment 56, and the housing 90 contains another chargingport 92, with a data cable, ribbon, or other type of connection (notlabeled) located within the housing 90 and connected to the two chargingports. In this embodiment, both charging ports are USB-C femaleconnectors, but in alternative embodiments the data/charging ports maybe of any other type in any combination, whether male or female, orreplaced with any suitable combination of fixed or permanent cable as analternative to the housing 90. In further alternative embodiments, astorage and charging cradle for removable, rechargeable batteries couldbe provided inside the storage box 10, and/or a wireless charger (e.g.,Qi-type) could be separately provided within or fixedly built into thestorage box 10. In further alternative embodiments according to thepresent disclosure, the passthrough 62 could be omitted entirely, andthe storage box 10 could be provided without any means to allow forcharging of internally-stored items when the locking assembly 100 isengaged. An embodiment of a storage box 210 according to the presentdisclosure that lacks a passthrough is shown in FIG. 11 . Thisembodiment of the storage box 210 is otherwise substantively identicalto the embodiment of the storage box 10 shown in FIGS. 1-10 . In furtheralternative embodiments, the storage compartment 56 could be providedwith a physical punch-out or other means for a manufacturer or user toretrofit the storage box 10 to include a charging port,passthrough-cable, or other electronics, if they so desire.

Referring back to the embodiment of FIGS. 1-10 , the bottom lid 50comprises a space 72 for insertion of the locking assembly 100 therein.The space 72 is separate from the storage compartment 56. The space 72comprises a pair of bores 74 a,74 b with internal threading for receiptof a respective one of a pair of fasteners 102 a,102 b therein, whichare used to secure the locking assembly 100 to the bottom lid 50.

With reference now to FIGS. 6-10 , the structure and functionality ofthe locking assembly 100 will now be described in detail. In thisembodiment, the locking assembly 100 comprises a button housing 104 thatfits within and is secured to an outer housing 170 via, in part,insertion of tabs 106 a-106 d located on the button housing 104 intoappropriately sized holes 180 a-180 d located on both side of the outerhousing 170. With reference to FIGS. 6 and 7 , each of the tabs 106a-106 d has an upper, ramped surface (not separately labeled) thatallows for the button housing 104 to be installed upwardly into thebottom side of the outer housing 170, such that the tabs 106 a-106 dcause the button housing 104 to slightly deform inwardly until each ofthe tabs 106 a-106 d is fully aligned with a respective one of the holes180 a-180 d, such that the tabs 106 a-106 d snap into the holes 180a-180 d, thus holding all of the parts of the locking assembly 100together without the need for any internal fasteners. This embodiment ofthe locking assembly 100, therefore, is constructed without the use ofany internal fasteners.

In this embodiment, the button housing 104 includes a pair of springholders 110 a,110 b located on respective sides thereof, and the outerhousing 170 includes a pair of bores 176 a,176 b formed therein. Whenthe locking assembly 100 is fully assembled, the spring holder 110 a andbore 176 a hold the release spring 112 a therein, and the spring holder110 b and bore 176 b hold the release spring 112 b therein. A respectivelower portion 118 a,118 b of each of a pair of lid release pins 114a,114 b sits within the interior of the respective lid release spring112 a,112 b, and a respective upper portion 116 a,116 b of each of thelid release pins 112 a,112 b extends through a respective one of a pairof holes 178 a,178 b formed in the top of the outer housing 170, each ofwhich is located at the top end of a respective one of the bores 176a,176 b. The upper portions 116 a,116 b of each of the lid release pins112 a,112 b are sized just smaller than the holes 178 a,178 b.

The lid release pins 112 a, 112 b are biased upwardly due to thecompressed state of the lid release springs 112 a,112 b within theassembled locking assembly 100, and thereby act to assist in separationof the top lid 14 from the bottom lid 50 once the locking assembly 100has been disengaged from the locking plate 26. This additionallift-assist function helps to overcome the adhesive forces created bythe gasket 70 when the top lid 14 and bottom lid 50 have been compressedtogether. In alternative embodiments according to the presentdisclosure, the lift-assist function could be structured differently oromitted entirely from the storage box 10.

In this embodiment, the button housing 104 further comprises a pluralityof slots 108 a-108 e located therein, which act to form a plurality ofdividers 109 a-109 e. The plurality of slots 108 a-108 e allow forinstallation and removal of a respective one of a plurality of lockingpins 164 a-164 e into a respective one of a plurality of buttons 130a-130 e, which is done—as will be explained below in further detail—toset the unlock combination for the locking assembly 100, while alsoproviding clearance for the locking pins 164 a-164 e while the buttons130 a-130 e are being depressed. In this embodiment, five buttons 130a-130 e and a matching number of locking pins 164 a-164 e are providedas part of the locking assembly 100, but in alternative embodimentsaccording to the present disclosure this number could be varied, forexample any number of buttons between 3-10 (for up to two-handedsimultaneous depression of buttons used as an unlock combination), orany number greater than 10. In further alternative embodiments, themechanical locking assembly of the present disclosure could be replacedwith a digital keypad, biometric scanner, or other known orhereafter-developed quick-unlock assembly or mechanism.

In this embodiment, each of the buttons 130 a-130 e sits atop arespective one of a plurality of springs 120 a-120 e that is held withinthe button housing 104, with the base of each of the springs 120 a-120 eresting around a respective one of a plurality of spring holders 111a-111 e. Each of the springs 120 a-120 e acts to return a respective oneof the buttons 130 a-130 e to its undepressed position (as shown in,e.g., FIGS. 1 and 8 ) when the button 130 a-130 e is released, whileallowing each button 130 a-130 e to be depressed so that a user canattempt to enter the unlock combination of the locking assembly 100. Inthis embodiment, each of buttons 130 a-130 e comprises a pair of pinholes, which include internal threading therein to allow the lockingpins 164 a-164 e to be selectively attached to the buttons 130 a-130 eto select or change the unlock combination of the locking assembly 100.In this embodiment, each of the locking pins 164 a-164 e has a threadedportion and a head (for ease of illustration, only threaded portion 166and head 168 of locking pin 164 a are labeled in the Figures). As shownin the Figures, each of buttons 130 a-130 e includes an upper pin hole132 a-132 e—which is designed to receive a respective one of the lockingpins 164 a-164 e if that button 132 a-132 e it is to be included in theunlock combination of the locking assembly 100—and a lower pin hole 134a-134 e—which is designed to receive a respective one of the lockingpins 164 a-164 e if that button 132 a-132 e it is to be excluded fromthe unlock combination 100.

As indicated above, the user sets an unlock combination by installingthe one or more locking pins 164 a-164 e that will be included in thedesired unlock combination into the respective one or more of the upperpin holes 132 a-132 e, and installing the one or more locking pins 164a-164 e that will be excluded from the desired unlock combination intothe respective one or more of the lower pin holes 134 a-134 e. As notedabove, in this embodiment the locking pins 164 a-164 e are threadedlyengaged within the buttons 130 a-130 e, but in alternative embodimentsthe locking pins 164 a-164 e may be removably engageable with thebuttons 130 a-130 e in any number of different ways, for example apressure fit or snap fit. As shown in the Figures, the selected unlockcombination for the locking assembly 100 is set for “1-3-5,” meaningthat buttons number 1 (button 130 a), 3 (button 130 c), and 5 (button130 e) must be simultaneously depressed to release the top lid 14 fromthe bottom lid 50. As will be explained below, with this unlockcombination set, the buttons 130 a,130 c,130 e must be simultaneouslydepressed without simultaneous depression of either of button number 2(button 130 b) or button number 4 (button 130 d) in order for thelocking assembly 100 to act to disengage the top lid 14 from the bottomlid 50. In this embodiment, the outer housing 170 includes a pluralityof grooves 182 a-182 e into which each of a respective one of thebuttons 130 a-130 e is fitted, such that each of the buttons 130 a-130 eis only permitted to move upwardly and downwardly (i.e., parallel withthe center axis of each of the springs 120 a-120 e) within the lockingassembly 100, and is unable to shift in any lateral direction (includingthe directions 2,4 shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 ). The outer housing 170 alsoincludes a window 172 through which the rear sides of the buttons 130a-130 e and the lock fasteners 164 a-164 e are visible when the lockingassembly 100 is fully assembled, thus allowing for the unlockcombination to be changed while the storage box 10 is open without anyneed for disassembly of the locking assembly 100.

As noted above, the locking plate 26 is affixed to the underside of thetop lid 14 via the fasteners 30 a-30 c, which are routed through theholes 28 a-28 c in the locking plate 26. The holes have an elongated,oval shape to allow for lateral shifting of the locking plate 26. Asfurther noted above, the spring 42 acts to bias the locking plate 26 ina direction to the left (i.e., direction 2) as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 .The pin plate 140 includes a bore 148 in which one end of a spring 150is held, the other end of the spring 150 being held in place by a tab174 located on the outer housing 170. The spring 150 acts to bias thepin plate 140 in a direction to the right (i.e., in a direction 4) asshown in FIGS. 9 and 10 .

In this embodiment, the locking plate 26 includes locking tab 34 andlocking tab 36, and pin plate 140 includes locking tab 142 and lockingtab 144. In a default configuration (i.e., when the locking assembly isnot being properly opened or manually overrode), locking tab 34 oflocking plate 26 sits underneath locking tab 142 of pin plate 140, andlocking tab 36 of locking plate 26 sits underneath locking tab 144 ofpin plate 140 without lateral shifting of either of the locking plate 26or the pin plate 140, thus preventing the top lid 14 from beingseparated from the bottom lid 50 and denying the user access to thestorage compartment 56. When the manual override feature is being used,the biasing forces of the springs 42,150 can be overcome by the user bypulling the locking plate 26 to the right (i.e., in direction 4) and thepin plate 140 to the left (i.e., in direction 2) in the frame ofreference as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 . In standard situations, however,the user will not desire to leave the override keys 8 a,8 b accessible,to prevent undesired access to the storage compartment 56. Further, inalternative embodiments, the storage box 10 may be provided without anyoverride capability for the locking assembly 100.

As indicated above, the locking assembly 100 is opened—thus allowingaccess to the storage compartment 56—by lateral shifting of the pinplate 140 (to the left—i.e., in direction 2— as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10) to a sufficient degree to free the locking tabs 34,36 of the lockingplate 26 from being located underneath the locking tabs 142,144 of thepin plate 140.

In this embodiment, each of the upper pin slots 152 a-152 e has alateral portion and a diagonal portion (for ease of illustration, onlylateral portion 154 and diagonal portion 156 of upper pin slot 152 a arelabeled in the Figures), and each of the lower pin slots 158 a-158 e hasa lateral portion and a diagonal portion (for ease of illustration, onlylateral portion 160 and diagonal portion 162 of lower pin slot 158 a arelabeled in the Figures). In this embodiment, each of the lateralportions (e.g., lateral portions 154,160) are oriented parallel to thedirections 2,4 in which the pin plate 140 is permitted to move, and eachof the diagonal portions (e.g., diagonal portions 156,162) are notoriented parallel to the directions 2,4 in which the pin plate ispermitted to move. Each of a respective one of the plurality of dividers109 a-109 e is partially aligned with the path of the diagonal portion(e.g., diagonal portion 156) of each of the respective upper pin slots152 a-152 e, but no portion of any of the dividers 109 a-109 e isaligned with the path of the diagonal portion (e.g., diagonal portion162) of any of the respective lower pin slots 158 a-158 e. Therefore,when one of the buttons 130 a-130 e is depressed that is included in theunlock combination, the respective one of the locking pins 164 a-164 ewill move downwardly within the respective diagonal portion (e.g.,diagonal portion 156) of the respective upper pin slot 152 a-152 e andpress into the respective one of the dividers 109 a-109 e. In contrast,when one of the buttons 130 a-130 e is depressed that is excluded fromthe unlock combination, the respective one of the locking pins 164 a-164e will move downwardly within the respective diagonal portion (e.g.,diagonal portion 162) of the respective lower pin slot 158 a-158 e andnot make contact with the respective one of the dividers 109 a-109 e.

If all of the one or more buttons 130 a-130 e that are included in theunlock combination are depressed simultaneously and to a sufficientdepth (in direction 6, see FIGS. 5, 9, and 10 ) without any of the oneor more buttons 130 a-130 e that are excluded from the unlockcombination being simultaneously depressed, the one or more of thelocking pins 164 a-164 e associated with the respective one or more ofthe buttons 130 a-130 e that are included in the unlock combination(e.g., locking pins 164 a,164 c,164 e in the example shown in theFigures) will move downwardly within the diagonal portion(s) of therespective upper pin slots 152 a-152 e and thereby act to apply pressureagainst the pin plate 140 such that it shifts in direction 2 (see FIGS.9 and 10 ) a sufficient distance—in the process temporarily overcomingthe restorative force of spring 150—such that the locking tabs 142,144of the pin plate 140 are relocated from a position atop the respectivelocking tabs 34,36 of the locking plate 26, thus allowing the top lid 14to be removed from the bottom lid 50 and granting access to the storagecompartment 56. In this scenario, the one or more of the locking pins164 a-164 e that is excluded from the unlock combination (e.g., lockingpins 164 b,164 d in the example shown in the Figures) remains verticallyaligned with and will slide horizontally within the lateral portions(e.g., lateral portion 160) of the respective lower pin slots 158 a-158e. In this embodiment, the lateral portions of the lower pin slots 158a-158 e are elongated and not at all aligned with any of the dividers109 a-109 e, allowing the one or more of the locking pins 164 a-164 ethat is excluded from the unlock combination (e.g., locking pins 164b,164 d in the example shown in the Figures) to freely move within thelateral portion of the respective lower pin slots 158 a-158 e withoutimpeding on the lateral movement of the pin plate 140 in direction 2. Aswill be further explained below, this is the only combination ofmovements that will result in unlocking of the locking assembly 100. Inthis embodiment, the direction 6 of depression of the buttons 130 a-130e is perpendicular to each of the directions 2,4 in which the pin plate140 is able to shift.

If one or more buttons 130 a-130 e that are included in the unlockcombination are not depressed as part of an attempt to unlock thelocking assembly 100, the one or more of the locking pins 164 a-164 eassociated with the respective one or more of the undepressed buttons130 a-130 e that are included in the unlock combination (e.g., one ormore of locking pins 164 a,164 c,164 e in the example shown in theFigures) remains vertically aligned with and will slide horizontallywithin the lateral portions (e.g., lateral portion 154) of therespective upper pin slots 152 a-152 e. In this embodiment, the lateralportions of the lower pin slots 158 a-158 e are short and intersect withthe edges of the dividers 109 a-109 e. Thus, the one or more of thelocking pins 164 a-164 e (e.g., one or more of locking pins 164 a,164c,164 e in the example shown in the Figures) that is included in theunlock combination but associated with an undepressed button willcontact the respective one or more of the dividers 109 a-109 e, thusimpeding the lateral movement of the pin plate 140 in direction 2 andpreventing unlocking of the locking assembly 100.

If all of the one or more buttons 130 a-130 e that are included in theunlock combination are depressed simultaneously and to a sufficientdepth, but one or more of the buttons 130 a-130 e that is excluded fromthe unlock combination is also simultaneously depressed, the one or moreof the locking pins 164 a-164 e associated with the respective one ormore of the buttons 130 a-130 e that is excluded from the unlockcombination (e.g., locking pins 164 b,164 d in the example shown in theFigures) will move downwardly within the diagonal portion(s) of therespective lower pin slots 158 a-158 e. Since the diagonal portions(e.g., diagonal portion 162) of the lower pin slots 158 a-158 e arerelatively short, even if the one or more of the buttons 130 a-130 ethat is excluded from the unlock combination is fully depressed, therespective one or more of the locking pins 164 a-164 e associated withthe excluded one or more of the buttons 130 a-130 e will be located suchthat adequate shifting of the pin plate 140 a sufficient distance indirection 2 (see FIGS. 9 and 10 ) such that the locking tabs 142,144 ofthe pin plate 140 are relocated from a position atop the respectivelocking tabs 34,36 of the locking plate 26 is not possible, thuspreventing removal of the top lid 14 from the bottom lid 50 and denyingaccess to the storage compartment 56.

In the present embodiment, the locking assembly 100 can be actuated witheither hand (ambidextrously) or with both hands simultaneously. Inalternative embodiments in which more than five buttons are used as partof the locking assembly, the locking assembly may require the use ofboth hands simultaneously. Further, in the present embodiment each ofthe buttons 130 a-130 e (see, for example, FIGS. 7 and 8 ) includesgrooves (not separately labeled) located on its upper, finger-contactsurfaces, which aid the user in locating the buttons 130 a-130 e in darkenvironments and assist with button grip during the button-actuationprocess. In alternative embodiments, these surfaces of the buttons maybe provided with different texturing or indicators, including uniquetexturing or indicators for each button. For example, standard Braillesymbols, raised or depressed dots or grooves, or other unique indicatorscould be used for each separate button, which could assist a user inquickly identifying the proper hand position in dark environments, thusreducing the likelihood of mis-entry of the unlock combination.

Although exemplary implementations of the herein describedapparatus(es), system(s), and/or method(s) have been described in detailabove, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that manyadditional modifications are possible in the exemplary embodimentswithout materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages ofthe herein described systems and methods. Accordingly, these and allsuch modifications are intended to be included within the scope of theherein described systems and methods. The herein described systems andmethods may be better defined by the following exemplary claims.

1-15. (canceled)
 16. An enclosure, the enclosure comprising: a mainbody; a lid; a locking assembly that is releasably engageable betweenthe main body and the lid, the locking assembly having a lockedconfiguration in which the lid and the main body are secured togetherand an unlocked configuration in which the lid is separable from themain body, the main body and the lid forming a storage compartmenttherebetween when the main body and the lid are mated together; and anelectrical passthrough that extends from an exterior of the enclosureinto the storage compartment, the electrical passthrough comprising acharging and/or data port.
 17. The enclosure of claim 16, furthercomprising a gasket located between and in contact with both of the mainbody and the lid when the main body and the lid are mated together, thegasket surrounding a perimeter of the storage compartment and renderingthe storage compartment liquidproof.
 18. The enclosure of claim 17, thestorage compartment further comprising a liquid-impermeable butgas-permeable sealing vent provided therethrough between the storagecompartment and the exterior of the enclosure.
 19. The enclosure ofclaim 16, further comprising at least one light located within thestorage compartment.
 20. The enclosure of claim 16, further comprisingat least one locking hole that extends through each of the main body andthe lid, the at least one locking hole being adapted to receive asecondary lock therethrough.
 21. The enclosure of claim 16, furthercomprising a wireless charger located inside the enclosure.
 22. Theenclosure of claim 16, wherein the charging and/or data port is a firstport arranged on the exterior of the enclosure, and wherein theelectrical passthrough further comprises a second port located withinthe storage compartment, the second port being in electricalcommunication with the first port.
 23. The enclosure of claim 22,further comprising a housing coupled to an interior surface of thestorage compartment, wherein the housing includes the second port. 24.The enclosure of claim 22, wherein the first port and the second portare configured as charging ports.
 25. The enclosure of claim 22, whereinthe first port includes a first USB port and the second port includes asecond USB port in electrical communication with the first USB port. 26.The enclosure of claim 22, wherein the first port is arranged on anexterior sidewall of the main body and the second port is arrangedwithin a housing coupled to an interior surface of the main body withinthe storage compartment.
 27. A storage box, comprising: a bottom lidforming a storage compartment, the storage compartment being adapted tostore one or more items therein; a top lid hingedly coupled to thebottom lid and configured to move between a closed configuration and anopen configuration to provide access to the storage compartment; alocking assembly coupled between the bottom lid and the top lid andconfigured to permit for selective securing of the top lid to the bottomlid in the closed configuration; and an electrical passthrough thatextends from an exterior of the storage box into the storagecompartment, the electrical passthrough including: a first port arrangedon the exterior of the storage box, and a second port located within thestorage compartment, the second port being in electrical communicationwith the first port such that the stored items in the storagecompartment are chargeable via the electrical passthrough.
 28. Thestorage box of claim 27, wherein the first port includes a first male orfemale USB port and the second port includes a second male or female USBport in electrical communication with the first port.
 29. The storagebox of claim 27, wherein the first port is arranged on an exteriorsidewall of the bottom lid and the second port is arranged within ahousing coupled to an interior surface of the bottom lid within thestorage compartment.
 30. The storage box of claim 27, wherein thestorage compartment is sized to receive a firearm.
 31. A storage box,comprising: a bottom lid forming a storage compartment, the storagecompartment being adapted to store one or more items therein; a top lidhingedly coupled to the bottom lid and configured to move between aclosed configuration and an open configuration to provide access to thestorage compartment; a housing coupled to an interior surface of thestorage compartment; and an electrical passthrough that extends from anexterior of the storage box into the storage compartment, the electricalpassthrough including: a first charging port arranged on the exterior ofthe storage box, and a second charging port located within the housing,the second port being in electrical communication with the first portsuch that, when items are stored in the storage compartment, the itemsare chargeable via the electrical passthrough.
 32. The storage box ofclaim 31, wherein the first charging port and the second charging portare configured as USB ports.
 33. The storage box of claim 31, whereinthe first charging port is arranged on an exterior sidewall of thebottom lid.